The present invention pertains generally to devices for the repair of damaged windshields.
It is common practice to repair rock marred windshields in place to avoid costly windshield replacement and resulting in substantial savings to the vehicle owner. Such repair efforts typically entail the application of a partial vacuum to the damaged area and the subsequent application of a resin in the evacuated area.
To accomplish the above, a number of repair devices have been proposed. Shortcomings of known devices include the use of internal O-rings, the life of which is reduced by exposure to resinous repair material. Known repair devices often include several cumbersome accessories and tubing which result in time consuming set up and removal and which complicate transport of equipment to the next repair location. Additionally some repair devices utilize powered accessories requiring a nearby power outlet which prevents windshield repair at the curb or in parking lots while still other devices obscure the damaged area of a windshield to prevent close monitoring of the application of a repair liquid.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,272 discloses a repair device which obscures the site being repaired and relies on internal O-rings susceptible to early failure upon repeated contact with resins commonly used in windshield repair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,520 discloses components for delivery of the repair liquid and the provision of a vacuum at the repair site followed by pressurizing of the site. U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,780 relies on a plunger 22 acting on a repair resin in chamber 45 with a sealing lip 37 confining a repair liquid. A diaphragm 21 tends to obscure the damage site. U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,305 shows a repair device that includes a plunger 60 equipped with an O-ring to expel a repair liquid into an O-ring defined repair site. The tool is inverted to receive repair liquid and then re-inverted and adjusted into contact with a windshield. U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,413 shows a device which also uses an O-ring equipped plunger to confine a repair resin and then discharge same. U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,798 notes the avoidance of an O-ring in the device to maintain vacuum pressure in the lower portion thereof. A plunger is utilized to discharge repair resin through a resilient tip member 20 into an evacuated site. U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,042 shows a tool with a hand operated pump to vacuumize a damage site with resin in place therein and then pressurizing of the site.